Valve-gear.



UNITED STATES Patented8'une30,1903. PATENT O EICE.

HUGO LENTZ, OF LEIPZIG-SCHLEUSSIG, GERMANY.

VALVE-GEAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 732,570, dated June 30, 1903.

Application filed October 10, 1902. Serial No. 126,717. (NomodeL) To all whom it may concern:

I Be it known that I, HUGO LENTZ, a subject of the Emperor of Austria-Hungary, and a resident of Leipzig-Schleussig, Saxony, German Empire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements Relating to Valve-Gear, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a single valvegear arrangement for steam engines, and more particularlyto engines whereof all the distributing devices (as cocks or valves) are operated concurrently, as is the case in reversible engines, for example, the distinguishing feature of this valve-gear being that an oscillating distributing-shaft carries, rigidly secured to it, cams or tappets, by the direct action of which the valves are operated. By such a method of.distribution the possibility is aiforded of effecting a most far-reaching reduction in the number of parts (or links) as compared to that of another accurately-adjustable distributing apparatus, whereby friction resistance and wear are minimized and the safety or reliability of the operation is proportionately enhanced. In some cases it may be advantageous so to carry out this valve-operating arrangement in such a manner that the distributing cams or tappets of proper shape, rigidly mounted upon the oscillating distributing-shaft, shall be capable each of controlling two distributing devices by causing at each oscillation in either direction one such distributing device to open and the other at the same time to close, or vice versa, in which operation the effect of the passive pressure exercised upon the distributing-tappet by the one device in each case is utilized in' producing the active oper-i ative effort required for the purpose of actu.-

- operated, the arrangement being such that.

in the case of one cylinder (1 the tappets I) act each npon one valvef only, while in the case of the second cylinder 9 each of the tappets 0 acts upon two opposite valves h and r). Fig. 2 is a plan of Fig. 1' on a reduced scale, and it illustrates the oscillatory operation of the distributing-shaft asay from theflywheel shaft m through the medium of bevelwheels n 0, shaft 19, and an eccentric (1. Figs. 3 and 4 are end elevations viewed from the left-hand side of Fig. 1, illustrating the action of the cams b in two different positions, of the distributing-shaft a. Fig. 5 is an end elevation viewed from the right hand side of Fig. 1, showing the tappets 0, also from one side; and Fig. 6 is a vertical section of the valve-chestf, comprising a perspective View of the oscillating distributing-shaft a.

Now if Fig. 7 be taken, for example, as a diagram of the steam distribution in one cylinder it will be seen that whenever the crank occupies one of the positions indicated in the hatched sectors two distributing devices on each side of the tappet c are in motion and exercise power upon the oscillating distributing-shaft a. l-Vhen one distributing device is moving toward its closed position while the otheris in the act of opening, the latter assists in exercising pressure upon the distributing tappet o, and thereby adds to the closing power of the first distributing devices, so that this now requires but approximately reduced amount of power to complete its closing movement. The greater the number of distributing tappets or cams connected with the oscillating shaft the more frequent the intervals at which this equalization of power, due to a reduction of the amount of power expended, takes place.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secu re by Letters lying in the same longitudinal plane with an interval between their adjacent ends, and a single oscillating shaft common to both paired valve-stems of the last-mentioned groups of valves but having; a plurality of group, substantially as set forth. IO rigid cam projections offset laterally there- In witness whereof I have hereunto set my from, certain of said cam projections being hand in presence of two witnesses.

5 arranged to operate against the ends of the HUGO LENTZ.

Valve-stems of the first-mentioned group, and Witnesses: the remaining cam projections operating and J. R. MERK, lying between the contiguous ends of the L. LICHTENSTEIN. 

